Project Report: Designing a Systematic Approach to Human Resource Development in a Residential Treatment Setting.

Doriety, Thomas E.

This paper reports on a project designed to address deficits discovered in the scheduling and documentation of training events for employees at a large psychiatric treatment center which provides a therapeutic community for the treatment of 400 severely emotionally disturbed and developmentally disabled children, adolescents, and young adults. The objective of the project is described as aiding in the development of a systematic approach toward the administation of human resource development. Microcomputer involvement is discussed in the areas of the storage of text such as training policy, program descriptions, and training curriculum; file development and information retrieval for employee records; and training notification and verification functions. The report describes how files were developed for individual employees to identify those in need of required training, how roster files were created and personal notifications sent to employees in an attempt to reduce absenteeism and the number of classes taught, how reports were compiled on a monthly and annual basis using data from employee files, and how turnover statistics were compiled which led to the development of appropriate intervention strategies. Documentation of a dramatic rise in attendance at training events is explained. The report contains examples of employee files, notifications, reports, and an evaluation procedure to determine future effectiveness. (Author/NB)